New Ulm weekly review., 1887-08-24
LAUREL CAMP.

l.
With you'll" and dainty Bess Fleming
perched herself disconsolately On the
arm of the lounge in what her broth
rers called their "boudoir," and gazed
with big, wistful gray eyes on the ami
mated scene before her.
The festive preparations are indeed
almost enough to make one wish one
had been born a boy. Floor, chairs
and table are covered with a. choice
but vailed collection Of hunting boots,
fishing tackle, entomologist's para
phernalia of waxen-headed pins,
chloroform bottles and butterfly nets,
favorite authors, hammocks, and
other evidences OF a 'right roy al good
= time" The masculine occupants Of
the room were all so very deeply en-
crossed that their envious sister s
plaintive wish fell on almost unheed-
ing ears.
Hal muttered: "W-wish you
.could!' Tom gazed at her through
the microscope glass he was polishing
with an eye enormously enlarged
thereby, and smiled in conscious
masculine superiority and only good
. natured Steeple paused in his strug-
giles with his knapsack (which SEEM
ingly declined to accommodate his
blanket, O. work on atonomy, gossa-
mer coat, and a dismembered gun)
sufficiently long to say with genuine
brotherly good will:
"And you should 60 in minute,
Popity-it would be worth ten sea-
sons to you-if it were not for Val
Graham"
"Val Graham! Who is he? Let
him stay at home, then. To make
= coffee in a dear little kettle swung on
three sticks, to sleep in a hammock
and be outdoors all summer!" cries
Miss Fleming enthusiastically. ooh, l
will 60! What's the matter with Mr..
Graham? Is he one OF your fossilized
professors who would petrify a simple
maiden? I don't care what he is, you
need not imagine would find time to
look at him: I unanimously won t
mind him a bit.''
"But, b-b-bless you, my child, +"
calculated Hal, energetically, cit s
not a question OF whether yon would
mind Val. The boot is on the other
leg. It's Val would mind YOU.
There's some romantic story about
his being brought up by an uncle who
had been cruelty treated by somelove.
ly t1irt. Youthful affections trampled
on, and all that kind of thing. Takes
to the life of a hermit and educates
the ingenious Valentine to regard with
horror the whole female sex. Val
would sooner face 'wenomous wiper,
than g women, and I am confident
that it he suspected we meditated such
treason as the introduction of the
dreaded element, he would flee to the
uttermost parts Of the earth rather
than go with US; and he the prime
suggester Of the camping scheme, too!
Lastly and finally how could such a
luxurious little lady rough it with a
lot OF boys among the jungles of New
York State? 1t is impossible"
"Oh: you can say impossible; but I
could go, and you would take me, ii
1t were not for that odious creature!
How | hate him!" cried Bess, storm
lily.
ga letter for you Mr.. Stephen"
and the dignifed butler steps solemn
ly over the DEBRIS, and looks with
stern disapproval at the disordered
room
"F'rom Val himself, is it not,
Steenie?" asked Tom.
''Yes. Too bad, he can't 60, after
all-attack of malarial fever-knows
you will have a jolly time. almost
desperate when think of your start
Ing without me-" reads Steenie, dis
jointed]y.
Now, I am goingn' and Bess starts
up impetuously.
how can your
you'll see. Til take Martha to
take care OF me. I'll be ready in an.
hour, Martha and her budgets includ-
ed, and Bess vanished like a small
Whlrlwlud. leaving the trio too much
astonlshed to do aught but stare at
each other IN silence.
Did she accomplish it? OF course;
what other result was possible to- so
much energy and spirit? By the time
the Others had finished their remark
able masculine packing, Bess bubblng
over with merry anticipations, was
soothing the dazed Martha, who was
vibrating between q feeling OF gypsyish
delight at what seemed to her a mad
escapade and gloomy presentiments
OF inevitable rheumatism.
<
The scene shifts to the wilds of the
Empire State and a camp established
IN their depths. This is no mere
fashionable tabernacle in the wilder
ness, but 9 real camp, with amateur
cooks, with spicy hemlock bed, and
with smoke blackened kettle hang
ing over swapping fire, the smoke Of
which curls lazily upwards, making.
misty the delicate tracery Of the wav-
ing trees against the soft summer sky,
and hammocks swinging like huge CO.